Networking Skills for Young Scientists - Worksheet

This worksheet is part of the training ‘Networking Skills for Young Scientists’. Please save it to your
computer and use it for the assignments given in the online module. Submit the worksheet two days
before the training day to the trainer via c.c.moors@science.leidenuniv.nl.

About you

Name:

Beth Lloyd

Topic of research:

The impact of arousal on learning and memory.

Start and end date of your PhD project:

01/09/2019 – 01/01/2024

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Assignment 1: Expectations
Please write down your expectations of this course (max. 70 words). What would you like to learn
from this course? What is your experience with, or what are your preliminary ideas about,
networking?

My expectations about this course are that we get to practice and learn tips on how to
improve our personable skills, especially in communicating with other like-minded academic
students/researchers. I would like to learn how to ‘start the conversation’. I am not very used to
talking about my research with people who are not directly in the field, therefore, to communicate
the importance and relevance of my research in ‘layman’ terms (and to make it sounds exciting!)
is something I’d like to learn.

Assignment 2: Why is networking important to you?

Before starting this assignment, make sure you’ve completed lesson 3 out of 10 ‘Why is networking
important’ of the online module.

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1. What reasons for networking, described in the module, appeal to you, and why?

One of the important reasons mentioned in the module is: ‘Finding people for collaboration’.
Since the group that I work in is rather small, and no one in the group is researching the same
topic or using the same methods (i.e. learning and memory, 7T imaging), it is important for me
that I set up some collaborations in order to learn the best methods and formulate the best designs
to best research this. If I can set up collaborations, I believe that his can have a cascade effect on
the other reasons mentioned in the module. For example, I would like to work with a professor
who specializes in ultra-high-field imaging, who also happens to have a large network and is the
editor of a relevant journal. So for me setting up collaborations would be the grounding to other
important reasons.
Another important reason mentioned in the module is ‘receiving feedback’. I am a person who
needs some reassurance that I am doing things correctly. Since my group does not have the
expertise in some of my research methods, I find it important to get feedback from colleagues or
other research who are more knowledgeable about a particular methods.

2. In what way could networking benefit your own research and/or career?

 In terms of my career, I think networking would help me to have a better chance of getting
a grant. Getting a grant would help me in numerous ways, but importantly it would make me more
competitive on the job market. In terms of my research, networking will allow me to learn the best
methods and to learn from experts in the field. This would in turn, help my research reach a
broader network (also via the collaborators connections) and possibly increase its impact.
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Assignment 3: Create your own Network Spider
Before starting this assignment, make sure you’ve completed lesson 4 out of 10 ‘What is
networking’ of the online module. Then, draft your own network spider using the circles below (if
more convenient on a separate piece of paper – then bring your draft with you to the training day).

You can choose to either formulate individual people or groups in the first degree circle. Then,
choose one person/group from your first degree circle to expand in your second degree circle (but
feel free to write them all down!).

NTNU
UCLA/Harvard
UvA group

NYU
Vici group UU/Korsakoff
centre
Master mentor
Unit cogpsy
You Bachelor mentor

friends Kitesurf club

family

Cambridge
UK cognition
clinical/prisons

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Assignment 4: Go for a Coffee
Take a look at the network spider you drafted in assignment 3. Choose someone from your first
degree circle to have a coffee/lunch/etc with. Ask them:
- About their networking experiences
- If and how networking has helped their career/research

Reflect on the conversation. Write down your answers to the following questions:
 Who did you choose, and why?
 What did you learn from the conversation?
Complete this assignment before the training day!

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Assignment 5: ‘The Real Deal’
Before starting this assignment, make sure you’ve completed the entire online module.

Approach someone that might be interesting for your research/career outside your first degree of
your network spider. You are free to use the direct or indirect approach. Don’t make it too big: you
can approach someone during lunch/drinks/sports/research/etc but of course you are also free to
attend an event or e-mail an interesting researcher for a coffee!

After the network experience, describe:

 The network situation
 What were your thoughts before and during the experience?
 What were your feelings before and during the experience?
 What was your stress level?
 Based on this experience, what would you like to improve?
Complete this assignment before the training day!

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Questions?
Do you have questions about the content of the online module? Is there something you would like
to see addressed during the live training session? If so, please write them down below.

Submit this worksheet to your trainer before the training day via: c.c.moors@science.leidenuniv.nl.

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